Energy is a driving force behind all achievement. It has the power to transform inert coal into fire and water into steam, and it can elevate ordinary talent to the level of genius. Even the most uninspired mind can be ignited into a living fire by the power of energy.
Energy is more than a physical force; it’s also a moral virtue. Laziness is its opposing vice, and it can be overcome by cultivating the habit of ‘acting now’. The difference between an energetic and a lazy person is stark. While the latter complains about the difficulty of a task, the former is already in action, completing it with ease. The active person accomplishes a great deal before the lazy person even wakes up. The energetic person seizes opportunities, while the lazy person waits for them.
When a person ceases to act, the body becomes inert, and all functions cease to operate, leading to death. Therefore, a person who fails to act is, in essence, dead. The human body, both mentally and physically, is designed for action and not for a sedentary lifestyle. The muscles of the body are a rebuke to the slothful individual while every bone and nerve is fashioned for resistance. Every function and faculty has a purpose, and all things are perfected in use, culminating in action.
Therefore, the lazy man cannot experience prosperity, happiness, refuge, or rest. Even the ease he craves is unattainable. Instead, the lazy man becomes a homeless outcast, a troubled, harried, and despised individual. It’s rightly said that “The lazy man does the hardest work,” for by avoiding the systematic labor of skill, he subjects himself to the hardest lot.
The Great Teachers once advised his disciples to “keep wide awake,” succinctly conveying the need for unwavering energy in achieving one’s goals. The same Teacher also stated, “If anything is to be done, let a man do it at once; let him attack it vigorously!” This advice is wise, as action breeds creativity, and legitimate use leads to growth and development. To increase our energy, we must make maximum use of what we already possess. Only those who take forceful action toward a task will experience power and freedom.
It is a fallacy that noise equates to energy at work. The flamboyant and boastful individual is akin to an infant mentally. Lacking in accomplishments and substance, he resorts to loud proclamations of the little done to compensate for his inadequacies.
The true embodiment of energy lies in the still and quiet waters. Calmness is the hallmark of a well-trained, disciplined, and robust mind. The composed individual is precise in his words and actions, planning meticulously and executing with accuracy. He possesses the foresight to anticipate and overcome adversity, converting obstacles into opportunities. He is always prepared for any situation, much like a wise general who has studied and analyzed every conceivable scenario.